In the 1960s
and 1970s, American universities began to study the
phenomenon of Crete’s high life expectancy. The results of
these studies showed that Crete suffered much less disease
than many other countries. Cardiovascular disease and some
forms of cancer (e.g. cancer of the colon) were much rarer
than in the USA or Britain.

In Crete you sometimes see
local people over 90, smoking two packets of cigarettes a
day and enjoying rude health. Studies from the 70s
revealed that this higher life expectancy in Crete was
closely related to their eating habits. The phrase and
concept of the ‘Cretan diet’ was born, and many people in
the west began to imitate the Cretan diet.

1. Olive oil: In Crete, olive oil is used for cooking,
frying and on
salads. It is important that it is not just
any old oil; it is much better to use a traditional Cretan
brand. The Mouratolia olive is mentioned often. This
particular type of olive is never used to make cheap oil,
since the olive itself is expensive – the trees bear fewer
fruit than other types, and the olives themselves are
smaller than average.

2. Fish: Cretans eat a lot of fish, and not so much meat.
Traditionally, Cretans ate fish daily, and only ate meat
on special holidays, such as Easter or Christmas. This has
totally changed in the last few decades, as western habits
make their mark in Crete.

3. Fresh Fruit and vegetables: Cretans eat a huge variety
of greens and herbs, and in big quantities. The effects of
these medical herbs that they ate ‘accidentally’ are still
not quite clear.

4. Red wine: It has been shown by some studies that red
wine in moderate quantities is beneficial for the health,
though these studies are by no means definitive. One thing
is certain, though – red wine is better for the health
than other types of alcohol (e.g. beer, whiskey). French
scientists are making new studies on the subject, which
may reveal more conclusive findings in the future.

5. Dairy products: Soft cheeses from goat or sheep milk
seem to be healthier than from cows, whose milk has a
higher amount of fatty acids.

6. No additives:
Food in Crete is direct from the farm and
not processed in big factories. Sweets are made from
honey, and not from refined sugars.